- Date
- April 6, 2007, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Decatur, AL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N107WBBeech D50E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham FSDO-09
- FAA report
- 20070406005599A
- Case key
- 65795
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in failure of both engines due to fuel starvation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot departed on the cross country flight using the fuel from both main fuel tanks. Approximately one half hour into the flight the pilot stated that he switched both engines to the auxiliary fuel tanks. Two hours into the flight the right engine ran out of fuel. He switched the right fuel selector back to the main tank and turned on the electric boost pump. The engine surged and quit again. The pilot contacted air traffic control for a heading to the nearest airport and turned 180 degrees toward Pryor Field, Decatur, Alabama. The left engine stopped, and he turned the left engine fuel selector to the left main tank. He turned on the electric fuel boost pump and the engine failed to start. The pilot advised air traffic control that he had a fuel problem, and would not make it to the airport. He feathered the propellers and made an emergency landing in a field. After the forced landing the pilot and occupants exited the airplane uninjured. The pilot inspected both right fuel tanks and found both tanks empty. He inspected the left auxiliary tank and found it full and the left main was found with a lot of fuel. He reported that when he switched the fuel tanks to auxiliary positions he must have accidentally place the left fuel selector in the cross feed position.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he departed the Augusta Regional Airport/Bush Field, Augusta, Georgia, enroute to the General Dewitt Spain Airport, Memphis, Tennessee. He departed using the fuel from both main fuel tanks. Approximately one half hour into the flight the pilot stated that he switched both engines to the auxiliary fuel tanks. Two hours into the flight the right engine ran out of fuel. He switched the right fuel selector back to the main tank and turned on the electric boost pump. The engine surged and quit again. The pilot contacted air traffic control for a heading to the nearest airport and turned 180 degrees toward Pryor Field, Decatur, Alabama. The left engine stopped, and he turned the left engine fuel selector to the left main tank. He turned on the electric fuel boost pump and the engine failed to start. The pilot advised air traffic control that he had a fuel problem, and would not make it to the airport. He feathered the propellers and made an emergency landing in a field. After the forced landing the pilot and occupants exited the airplane uninjured. The pilot inspected both right fuel tanks and found both tanks empty. He inspected the left auxiliary tank and found it full and the left main was found with a lot of fuel. He reported that when he switched the fuel tanks to auxiliary positions he must have accidentally place the left fuel selector in the cross feed position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N107WB
- Reported as
- Beech D50E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- DH-332
- Airframe hours
- 5,870
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-G206, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Magnolia Flight Services Incorporated
- Registered owner
- Magnolia Flight Services Incorporated
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2006 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- AGS · Augusta, GA
- Destination
- M01 · Memphis, TN
- Airport
- DCU · Pryor Field
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,336 total · 226 in this make and model · 7,300 as pilot in command · 119 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DCU, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.